Prayer Shawl Ministry, Outreach Ministry, Shawl Ministry

FINDING PEACE IN A CRISIS

By Bette J. Shellhorn, Ph.D., Spiritual Director

So, where is God when I am in the middle of a crisis? Have you ever asked that question and thought that you were all alone, that no one cared, not even God? Do you ever find yourself confused and feeling all alone when you have a crisis? Rest assured you are not alone and you are dearly loved by God! Everyone has problems in life and everyone has a crisis at one time or another. Others have felt that God did not care, even people who lived at the time when Jesus walked on earth. On one occasion when Jesus was with his disciples the group got into a boat to go to the other side. Jesus was tired and fell asleep in the boat, but a storm arose in the sea and the boat was covered with waves. The disciples were swamped by the waves in the storm and they felt alone and helpless. What could they do all alone? They woke Jesus and said, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” Jesus got up and said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then Jesus rebuked the winds and the storm – immediately, there was a dead calm on the water. The disciples were amazed and they marveled saying, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Taken from Matthew 8: 23 – 27 RSV)

Do you ever feel like the disciples in the boat? When you have a problem that is beyond your ability to cope, do you feel as if Jesus is sleeping, unaware of your predicament? I have good news for you! Jesus is not sleeping, he is with you and the Lord cares for you more than you can ever imagine. Our God is waiting to be included in the problem! When you find yourself in a crisis or when you have any problem, the following five suggestions may help you to draw close to the Lord and feel the warm presence of Jesus Christ in the midst of your storm. Christ’s presence may help you to relax and gain the strength you need and the grace of God to cope with the problem you are facing at the moment.

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Suggestions to Help You Find Peace in a Crisis

PAUSE AND BECOME QUIET

EVALUATE THE SITUATION

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR NEED FOR GOD

CRY OUT TO JESUS CHRIST

EXPRESS THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD

PAUSE AND BECOME QUIET

When you are in the middle of a crisis the first step in the process is to stop, pause, take a deep breath and become very quiet – inside and out. If it is possible, go to a room or location where you can find silence or where you can relax and become calm. Once you are calm inside take some time to think through the situation. Even if you are not able to go to a quiet location, turn your thoughts inward and create a quiet space in your mind and heart. In the above Bible story the disciples were in the middle of a crisis, yet they took the time to be quiet and then they included Jesus in the situation. Jesus brought calm to the storm for the disciples and Jesus will do the same thing for you. The next step to finding peace is to evaluate the situation.

EVALUATE THE SITUATION

Wait until you are calm so your heart and mind can think through the situation and then really take a close and objective look at the situation. Observe what is actually happening and consider the problem, being as objective as you can at this time. Try to be impartial with your thoughts so you can see the real crisis for what it is and this will help you to calmly consider how to cope with the problem and handle the situation. When the disciples were afraid, they took the time to be aware of and evaluate the situation at hand. Once the disciples realized the extent of their problem, they also recognized their own helplessness and their need for Jesus to help them with the problem. The next step to finding peace in the middle of a crisis is to acknowledge your need for God.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR NEED FOR GOD

Once you are calm and you have evaluated the situation you are ready to approach God. Reach out to the Lord in prayer, realizing that you need God’s help, just as the disciples spoke to Jesus and communicated their need for his help. Share your honest thoughts and feelings about the situation with God in prayer, talking as you would speak with a close friend. Jesus Christ is always with you, lovingly looking at you as you move through life, carefully listening to your words and the Lord is ever caring about each thought and feeling that is on your heart. Our God longs to offer grace and mercy to help you at this time and at all times. Communicate with Jesus and share whatever you realized as you evaluated this difficult situation. The next step in the process of finding peace is to cry out to Jesus Christ.

CRY OUT TO JESUS CHRIST

Let the Lord know the extent of your thoughts and feelings. The disciples cried out for help in the midst of the storm and the tone of their voice let Jesus know they were afraid. Share with God all of your fears, your anger, your pain, your confusion, or whatever thoughts and feelings you may have at this time. Be honest with yourself and with Jesus. Know that you can trust the Lord with all of your emotions for our God will never laugh at you or turn away from you. On the contrary, Jesus considers your thoughts and feelings to be very important and our Lord takes your problem seriously. When you cry, Jesus cries with you. When you cry out to God, the Lord responds by drawing very close to you. When you hurt, Jesus feels your pain and longs to touch the pain and bring healing to you with grace and mercy. Jesus wants to be close to you and share all of your situations in life. You can pray at any time, in any place, and when you reach out to the Lord with all of your heart, you may feel the warm presence of Jesus. As you pray, give your problem to the Lord and let Jesus carry your crisis. The Bible tells us to, “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5: 7) When the disciples were in the boat during the storm they asked Jesus to help them. They allowed Jesus to calm the storm and they were able to rest and remain calm in the storm. Now, as you face your crisis, let Jesus calm the storm in your life. Give the problem to the Lord and let God carry the burden. After you have shared all that is on your heart, cried out to the Lord, and given your crisis to Jesus, the next step is to express thanks and praise to the Lord.

EXPRESS THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD

As you go to the Lord in prayer and turn the problem over to Jesus you may find that your heart feels lighter then it did before you gave the situation to the Lord. What a wonderful blessing it is to know that the Lord of all is with you in the middle of the storm. Your situation began as a large crisis, but now God has entered the scene and the situation changes, becoming holy, sacred, and set apart as a divine encounter because Jesus Christ is in the experience with you. What a relief it is to know and trust that God is fully committed to helping you as you work through this problem. This realization may bring an emotional response or perhaps just a desire to express thanksgiving and praise to God for being with you in the time of your great need. The last step to finding peace in the middle of a crisis is to offer thanks and praise to the Lord. Our Lord is most worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. It is so important to give praise to God and thank Jesus for being with you. As you express thanks and praise to God you will be ready to go back to the crisis with fresh eyes. You are now calm, you know the objective facts of the situation, you have prayed to God, given your problem and the entire situation to the Lord, and you have an attitude of thanksgiving and praise to God. You have changed on the inside even if your situation may be the same on the outside. Your troubles may not be over, the problem may not be solved, but the Lord is with you in the middle of the storm and you can relax. Now, as you let the Lord carry the problem, you will be able to rest in the middle of the crisis. You now have the grace to cope with the crisis and you can manage the situation. A peaceful heart and mind may now be yours even in the middle of your situation. You can be free, at last, to move forward in your life. The following Bible passages may be helpful as you reflect upon the words. Meditate on key words as you read. Let the Holy Spirit minister to your heart as you ponder the Word of God.

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The following Bible passages may help to bring peace in a crisis. Read each passage slowly out loud. Pause when you come to a passage that strikes you as important for your situation. Spend time pondering the Bible passage, reflecting on how this Bible passage relates to your circumstance. Let the Lord minister to you at the point of your great need:

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32: 8

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34: 1

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34: 4

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46: 10

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. . . Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. . . Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.” Psalm 62: 5, 8, 11

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7: 7-8

“So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10: 31

“I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” John 14: 18 (KJV)

“. . . Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. . . . And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13

(Scripture, New American Standard version)

Dr. Bette Shellhorn is a spiritual director and currently serves in the ELCA Prayer Ministry as the ELCA Online Manager for the www.prayingchurch.org prayer ministry.

(published in PASTOR'S CORNER, February, 1999)